Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
    Trending
    • Building Digital Accessibility: AI Requires Human Oversight to Cut Down on Algorithmic Biases
    • BlackBerry Ivy: Enabling a New Age of Electric Secure Autonomous Vehicles
    • Security Automation Cuts Down Expenses and Saves Time for IT Teams
    • IBM Think 2022 – Embracing the Present, Preparing for the Future
    • A Game of Numbers: The Correlation Between Technology and Sports Betting
    • Software-based Enterprise Solutions for Navigating the “Too Much Information” Age
    • A Look At The Last Generation Of Internal Combustion Engines
    • Ways to Make 2022 the Best Year Ever for Your Small Business
    TechSpective
    • RSS
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Technology
      Featured
      March 1, 20216

      Could Home Study Be Better for Education? Using Technology to Craft a Better Tomorrow

      Recent
      May 20, 2022

      Building Digital Accessibility: AI Requires Human Oversight to Cut Down on Algorithmic Biases

      May 20, 2022

      BlackBerry Ivy: Enabling a New Age of Electric Secure Autonomous Vehicles

      May 15, 2022

      A Look At The Last Generation Of Internal Combustion Engines

    • Reviews
      Featured
      March 4, 20211

      Dell’s UltraSharp 40 – Improving Work and Workplaces with Monitor Innovations

      Recent
      April 7, 2022

      Dell’s Latitude 5430 Rugged – Redefining the Extremes of Mobile Computing

      October 12, 2021

      Innovating Home Video Conferencing: Dell’s New 27 Video Conferencing Monitor – S2722DZ

      September 22, 2021

      Review: Intrusion Shield

    • Podcasts
    • Security
      Featured
      March 7, 20212

      Pandemic Unmasks Vulnerability to Automated Bot Attacks

      Recent
      May 14, 2022

      Ransomware is Indiscriminatory – Prepare for Everything to Fail

      May 5, 2022

      Cybersecurity Myths that are Compromising Your Data and How to Address Them

      April 14, 2022

      Digital Identities Power All Your Daily Interactions: Here’s How Identity and Access Management Works for You

    • Microsoft
      Featured
      September 12, 20201

      The Microsoft Surface Duo: The Communications Device for Those That Think Different

      Recent
      April 8, 2022

      AI and Why Windows 12 Could Be a Far Bigger Advance than Windows 95 Was

      October 11, 2021

      The Surface Laptop Studio: Building a Windows 11 Targeted Laptop

      August 28, 2021

      Why Microsoft’s Hardware Baseline for Windows 11 Is Important

    • News & Analysis
      Featured
      March 6, 20212

      Fixing The World One Person At A Time: Cisco Networking Academy

      Recent
      May 20, 2022

      BlackBerry Ivy: Enabling a New Age of Electric Secure Autonomous Vehicles

      May 20, 2022

      IBM Think 2022 – Embracing the Present, Preparing for the Future

      May 14, 2022

      Apple vs. Dell: Choosing Which Company to Work For

    • Business
      Featured
      March 6, 20212

      Fixing The World One Person At A Time: Cisco Networking Academy

      Recent
      May 20, 2022

      Building Digital Accessibility: AI Requires Human Oversight to Cut Down on Algorithmic Biases

      May 20, 2022

      Security Automation Cuts Down Expenses and Saves Time for IT Teams

      May 18, 2022

      Software-based Enterprise Solutions for Navigating the “Too Much Information” Age

    TechSpective
    You are at:Home»Security»Adware»Spyware: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Prevent It
    spyware malware VPN
    Image from Pixabay

    Spyware: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Prevent It

    1
    By Zain Saleh on August 5, 2021 Adware, Malware, Security Awareness, Spyware

    You might feel safe while using your phone or laptop packed with all the latest security features. However, it might not be entirely true sometimes. There may be something in your machine that tracks you all the time without you knowing. That culprit could be spyware.

    Spyware is software that tracks your internet surfing and device activities. It operates secretly and slowly consumes resources on your computer so that you won’t notice it. Then, it sends information about you to a third party.

    It’s becoming a big problem for computers everywhere. Over the past years, the amount of spyware installed on computers has grown enormously. It’s especially prevalent in the United States. According to one survey, nearly 30% of all U.S. households have at least one computer with spyware.

    So far, there has been countless spyware developed, and the latest (and probably the most frightening) one is Pegasus.

    What is Pegasus?

    Pegasus is the most powerful spyware developed to date. It was first discovered in 2016 when it was used for spear phishing (by tricking the target into clicking on a malicious link sent via message or email).

    The Israeli company NSO Group has developed this hacking software that can infect billions of phones running the iOS or Android operating systems. It is marketed and licensed to governments worldwide, but its capabilities are too much for private citizens looking to be safe from cybersecurity threats. The concerns become even more severe when such a powerful tool is suspected of targeting activists and outspoken individuals.

    Its capabilities are off the charts, such as:

    • It can monitor your personal and private activities for as long as necessary.
    • The spyware can generate copies of messages you send or receive.
    • It can easily get your mobile photos and record your voice calls.
    • It can also secretly film you through your phone’s camera.
    • It can activate the microphone to record conversations or access your mobile GPS to access your location.

    All of this can happen while you don’t know anything about it. Pegasus excels in the covert operation style. Thus, victims typically have no idea whether their device is infected.

    How does Spyware Work?

    The basic motive of spyware is to infiltrate a device, primarily a phone. Though it can be distributed in a number of ways, one of the most common ways to distribute spyware software is by a malicious clickable link.

    These links are very intelligently presented in front of the user in the form of:

    • Emails that seem like sent from a legitimate organization like your bank.
    • Pop-up window in a browser that asks you to install an app or redirects you to an unknown webpage.
    • Text messages with a malicious link.
    • Misleading or dangerous ads on web pages delivered through legitimate ad networks are known as malvertising. It redirects the users to a different webpage where the malicious code is embedded.

    Pegasus, on the other hand, can infect your phone by:

    • Tricking the target user into clicking on a malicious external link.
    • By exploiting “zero-day” vulnerabilities. It means that it can infect your phone by exploiting flaws and bugs in the operating system that manufacturers like Apple and Google do not know yet.

    Once successfully planted, it can easily access your SMS, emails, WhatsApp chat, microphone, camera, GPS data, calendar data, etc.

    What Kinds of Spyware are there?

    Though, there are many of them. But, if we talk about those that can affect your gadgets, we can shortlist four, namely, the following. While some of them have legitimate purposes (like cookies), you should know that they can have negative effects on your privacy.

    1. Cookie Trackers. This type of spyware can secretly keep track of your browsing history or downloads to devise valuable insights like your interests. Based on this, ads are targeted to you in the browser.
    2. System Monitors. This spyware is primarily used to track users’ system or mobile activities to understand their behavior. The parameters tracked are keystrokes, chats, emails, websites visited, programs launched, etc.
    3. Adware. This is just like the cookie tracker that accesses your browser history and downloads to understand what you like and target ads to you.
    4. Trojan. This is spyware that will look like a legitimate software that you need to download. Once you have it on your device, it will take control of all your sensitive information.

    Preventive Measures Against Tracking

    After reading so far, it may seem like there is no way to prevent spying. However, there are some methods by which you can keep it out of your devices.

    • Pop-up blocker. Install a powerful pop-up blocker that can block all the malicious ads.
    • Focus on the terms and conditions. Yes, these may seem boring, but they can help you understand how the software gathers information and how it is used. It can help in preventing spyware.
    • Keep a check on emails and app installs. Ensure you keep a close check while installing apps or opening emails. They are the hotspots of spyware. Refrain from installing apps from unauthorized sources.
    • Protect your online traffic. Data exchanged insecurely could be stolen in transit. Thus, install a VPN to ensure that all information you exchange travels safely.
    • Get a robust anti-malware or anti-virus tool. These programs can detect suspicious behavior happening on your device. Also, be sure to keep track of all applications installed.
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleJake Kouns Discusses Why Better Vulnerability Data Matters for Effective Cybersecurity
    Next Article Top Ways Data is Providing New Insights into Remote Work’s Influence on How People Live in Cities
    Zain Saleh

    Related Posts

    Cybersecurity Myths that are Compromising Your Data and How to Address Them

    Growing Attacks Underscore the Importance of API Security

    Barak Hadad Shares Details of TLStorm Flaws in APC UPS Devices

    1 Comment

    1. Pingback: Spyware: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Prevent It - InfoSec Today

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Site Sponsors
    Intel
    DevOps.com
    Adobe
    PopSpective
    • Technology
    • Popular
    • Top Reviews
    May 20, 2022

    Building Digital Accessibility: AI Requires Human Oversight to Cut Down on Algorithmic Biases

    May 20, 2022

    BlackBerry Ivy: Enabling a New Age of Electric Secure Autonomous Vehicles

    May 15, 2022

    A Look At The Last Generation Of Internal Combustion Engines

    9.0
    July 14, 2016

    Review: Lenovo Yoga 900S

    9.5
    March 2, 2015

    Review: Asus Zenbook UX305 ultrabook

    8.0
    February 9, 2015

    Review: Burg 12 smartwatch

    9.7
    November 16, 2018

    Review: BlackVue DR900S-2CH Vehicle Dash Cam

    9.5
    September 2, 2015

    Review: Microsoft Band

    May 27, 2014

    Protect your family photos with ScanMyPhotos

    Popular Posts
    9.0
    July 14, 2016

    Review: Lenovo Yoga 900S

    9.5
    March 2, 2015

    Review: Asus Zenbook UX305 ultrabook

    8.0
    February 9, 2015

    Review: Burg 12 smartwatch

    Coffee and Politics
    Adobe
    • RSS
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    About

    TechSpective covers technology trends and breaking news in a meaningful way that brings value to the story, and provides you with information that is relevant to you. We offer in-depth reporting and long-form feature stories, as well as breaking news coverage, product reviews, and community content in plain English terms, and with a unique perspective on technology.

    Adobe

    © 2020 Xpective, Inc.

    • About
    • Privacy
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    © 2021 Xpective, Inc.
    • About
    • Privacy
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.